Reno Casino To Unveil Major Expansion Plans

Peppermill Hotel Casino plans to announce $230 million in expansion this week, including new hotels, convention spaces and larger gambling venues, a newspaper reported Sunday.

"We are excited to hold a press conference on Thursday to announce the $230 million expansion," Peppermill spokesperson Kim Stoll told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "At that time, all the facts and artist renderings will be announced."

Southern Reno Casino on Friday sent invitations to several city officials and community leaders for a news conference, which they confirmed had received.

"They already have all the qualifications, so they are ready to go," said Sharon Zadra of Reno.

In 1999, Peppermill officials announced plans to invest $230 million in expanding 632-room hotels, expanding casinos and retail stores, building parking lots and adding convention spaces.

The permits taken out with the city at the time allow additional expansion of those components, as well as hotels and parking lots.

That year, the hotel casino spent $65 million to renovate and expand many of its facilities, including using space in the next closed Century Theater.

"The qualifications they were given at the time are still valid," Zadra said. "That's more than we typically see in expansion. That's quite a big deal."

Las Vegas-based Station Casino Inc. has announced plans for two Southern Reno hotel casinos. The expansion of Peppermill could be a shrewd move to prevent competition, an expert said.

"Peppermill could be an attempt to jump in here and preoccupy the station's attention in the market," said Bill Idington, director of the Gambling and Commercial Gaming Laboratory at the University of Nevada in Reno.

The expansion is a positive sign for the region, which has seen its annual gambling revenue fall by about 12% since 2000 as tourism wanes, Edington said. 바카라사이트